Closeable silicon container

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a container for storing products, comprising a base made substantially of silicon comprising an inner area for containing products, the base having an outer wall of a particular perimeter, the base having a rim at the very top thereof, and a cover made substantially of silicon comprising a wall extending around the outer perimeter thereof which encloses the rim and the top of the base, the cover also having a lip on the inside thereof which is parallel to the wall thereof, whereby when the cover is placed on the base, the rim of the base is gripped between the lip on the inside of the cover and the wall on the cover to hold the cover in place. Due to the fact that the container is comprised substantially of silicon, substantially all of the products placed therein will be useable such that there will be no remnants of the product left over.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to closeable containers in which items are stored. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a container made of silicon or other material with which allow the contents thereof not to adhere thereto, so that all of the contents will be useable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior art containers for cosmetics, medicines, food, and other items are well known in the art. An issue with some of these containers is that as the products placed within the container are used, due to the material on the walls of the container, the last remaining bits of the product contained within the container will adhere to the container's walls, making the last bit of product essentially unusable especially if the container is small.

Likewise, merely making a container out of a non-adherent material such as silicon or coating a container with an anti-adherent coating on all surfaces thereof does not remedy this issue completely, as when a container is made out of a substance such as silicon, it is very flexible and difficult for a simple screw on cover to keep the container closed.

SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a container having a body made substantially of silicon onto which traditional screw-on threads are fabricated onto the upper outside thereof proximate the rim. In a preferred embodiment, the threaded area has a smaller outer circumference (if the container is round) or a smaller outer perimeter (if the container is any other shape) than the immediately adjacent body container. The threaded area of the body of the container also has an upper rim that extends around the entire upper part thereof. In a preferred embodiment, a shoulder is formed where the outer perimeter of the body of the container steps down to the smaller outer perimeter of the threaded area of the body.

In order to make the body of the container closeable, in a preferred embodiment, the container has a separate silicon cover that is fabricated to completely cover the opening of the body of the container. In an embodiment, the cover may be fixably attached to the body of the container. In a preferred embodiment, the cover has the same is configured so that it has the same outside circumference (if the container is round) or the same perimeter (if the container is any other shape) as the circumference/perimeter of the body of the container proximate to where the cover is mounted. If the threaded area of the body tapers, the cover will taper reciprocally.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover has a wall extending from the inside top edge thereof, the wall being substantially the same depth as the height of the threaded upper area of the body of the container. The inside of the cover's wall contains threads corresponding to the threads on the upper area of the container so that the cover may be screwed on the container using the threads. In a preferred embodiment, the cover also has a lip on the inside of the cover that is substantially parallel to the wall of the cover. The lip is located on the inside of the cover so that when the cover is screwed onto the body of the container, it is immediately adjacent and touching the entire inside perimeter of the rim of the container. In a preferred embodiment, the lip is configured so that it partially extends past the rim and into the mouth of the container such that when the cover is mounted onto the body of the container, the rim of the body of the container is held in place between the lip and the inside wall of the cover.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when the cover is fully engaged on the body of the container, the outer wall of the cover rests on top of the outermost shoulder of the body of the container directly below the threaded area. The cover is placed upon the container either by screwing it on or by snapping the cover on so that it is in full contact with the rim of the threaded end of the container. In this manner, the container will remain closed. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, there are no threads on either the container or the lid and the lid is held in place on the container solely by the lip on the inside of the lid which holds the rim of the container between the lip and the wall extending from the lid.

Due to the fact that the container is fabricated of silicon or other non-adherent material, the contents that are placed within the container will not permanently stick thereto so that all of the contents may be removed with little to no residue left inside the container. In a preferred embodiment, the container of the present invention can be any shape so long as there is at least an inner lip and parallel wall on the cover which will grip onto the rim of the body of the container to hold the cover in place. In other embodiments, another means of affixing the cover to the container may be used such as, but not limited to, snapping, hooking or some other semi-permanent affixing means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of the invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals refer to like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side functional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dashed lines in the drawing showing the relationship of the lid of the silicone container to the base of the silicone container and forming no part of the claimed design;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cover of a preferred embodiment of the present invention thereof.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the cover of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dotted lines in the drawing showing the relationship of the outer wall of the cover to the inner wall of the cover.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the cover of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dashed-dot-dot-dashed lines in the drawing showing the relationship of the outer wall of the base to the inner wall of the base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following descriptions of the invention, terms such as “top”, “bottom,” first “end” and “second end”, “horizontal”, “longitudinal”, and the like are used herein merely for ease of description and refer to the orientation of the components shown in the figures and are not meant to limit the invention in any way.

Generally, the present invention may be briefly described as follows. Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the container 10 of the present invention is shown. The container 10 comprises a base 12 and a cover 14. In the preferred embodiment, both the base 12 and the cover 14 are comprised substantially or wholly of silicon. In an alternate embodiment, only the inside of the container base 12 and the inside of the cover 14 are fabricated of silicon or some other non-adherent material so that any contents contained therein will not cling to the inside walls of the base 12 and cover 14.

Referring more specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, the container base 12 has a bottom 11 which may have any shape. For example, the base may be round such as shown in FIGS. 1-6 or it may be of any geometrical shape so long as it has an inner cavity for storing other items, such as, but not limited to, cosmetics, liquids, tobacco and other smoking materials, etc. Regardless of the shape of the base, the base 12 has an inside wall 11 a and an outside wall 11 b, such as is shown in FIG. 6 which extends from the bottom 11 of the base 12. In a preferred embodiment, the outside wall 11 b of bottom 11 is connected to outer wall 15 a of wall 15 without seams. In a preferred embodiment, the inside wall 11 a of bottom 11 is connected to the inside wall 15 b of wall 15 without seams. In alternative embodiments, there may be seams where the bottom 11 is connected to wall 15. Wall 15 b steps down in size to create an upper portion 16 that has a smaller outer perimeter/circumference than the lower portion 15, creating a circumferential shoulder 22 only on the outside of the base 12. A rim 20 connects the inside circumference of the container base 12 to the outside circumference. Regardless of the shape on the outside of the base, the inside walls of the base always remain smooth from the bottom of the container to the top. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) in which the container base is not round, the upper portion 16 of the container base 12 is of a smaller perimeter than the perimeter of the lower portion of the container base 12, such that a shoulder 22 will still be created on the outside of base 12.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the upper portion 16 has one or more spiraled threads 18 thereon. In alternate embodiments (not shown), the upper portion 16 of container base 12 does not have spiraled threads 18. In further alternate embodiments (not shown) the cover has alternate means of enclosing the container base 12 such as, but not limited to snaps, hooks, and the like.

Referring next to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the cover 14 of the device 10 is shown. The cover 14 comprises an inside surface 24. The perimeter of the inside surface 24 is surrounded by a wall 26. Wall 26 has an outer rim 32. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the depth/height of wall 26 is the same as the height of the upper portion 16 of the base 12 such that when the cover 14 is placed on container base 12, the rim 32 of the cover 14 rests on top of shoulder 22 of base 12.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inside surface 24 of the cover 14 also comprises a lip 28 which is parallel to the wall 26. Lip 28 is fabricated so that its perimeter is slightly smaller than the perimeter of the rim 20 of container base 12 so that when the cover 14 is placed on top of container base 12, lip 28 will rest directly against the inside of rim 20. In a preferred embodiment, when the cover is closed the rim 20 will be pinched between the wall 26 and lip 28 of the cover 14 so that the cover is rests tightly on container base 12.

When the container base 12 and the cover 14 are fabricated wholly of silicon, they become flexible. Thus, the inner lip 28 on the cover 14 allows the cover to stay in place as it causes the rim 20 of the base 12 to be gripped tightly between the lip 28 and the wall 26 of the cover.

In a preferred embodiment such as shown in FIGS. 1-6, the cover 14 has spiral threads 30 fabricated onto the inside of wall 26. The threads 30 on cover 14 correspond directly to the threads 18 on base 12. Using this embodiment, when the cover is placed onto the base 12, the cover 14 is held in place by screwing the cover 14 onto base 12 using the corresponding threads 18 and 30. When the cover is completely in place on the base 12, the rim 20 of the base 12 is held between lip 28 and the inside of wall 26 of the cover 14. In an alternative embodiment, the cover may be snapped on so that the rim 20 of the base 12 is held between lip 28 and the inside of wall 26 to hold the cover 14 in place on top of the base 12.

Referring next to FIGS. 5 and 6, the inside walls of the cover 14 and the container base 12 are respectively shown. Because the inside walls are fabricated of silicon or some other non-adherent materials, things placed within the container may not adhere to the inside thereof so that substantially no remnants of the product contained within the container 10 will be rendered unusable.

The presently disclosed embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. The embodiments and methods described above are exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art may now make numerous uses of, and departures from, the above-described embodiments without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Thus, the construction of the embodiments disclosed herein are not limitations of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is to be defined solely by the scope of the following claims. 

1. A container for storing, comprising: a base having an area therein for containing, the base having an outer wall of a particular perimeter, and an area near the top thereof of a smaller perimeter corresponding to the shape of the base, whereby a shoulder is formed where the reduction of perimeter is fabricated, the base having a rim at the very top thereof; a cover having the same perimeter as the top area of base, the cover having a wall extending around the outer perimeter thereof which encloses the top area of the base, the cover also having a lip on the inside thereof which is parallel to the wall thereof; whereby when the cover is placed on the base, the rim of the base is gripped between the lip on the inside of the cover and the wall on the cover to hold the cover in place.
 2. The container of claim 1, further comprising threads on the base thereof and corresponding threads on the cover thereof, such that the cover is threaded onto the base to enclose the inside of the base.
 3. The container of claim 1, wherein the base is made wholly of silicon.
 4. The container of claim 1 wherein the cover is made wholly of silicon.
 5. The container of claim 1, wherein the base has no seams.
 6. The container of claim 1 wherein all of the surfaces which come into contact with whatever may be stored within the container are fabricated of a non-adherent material.
 7. A container for storing products, comprising: a base made substantially of silicon comprising an inner area for containing products, the base having an outer wall of a particular perimeter, the base having a rim at the very top thereof; a cover made substantially of silicon comprising a wall extending around the outer perimeter thereof which encloses the rim and the top of the base, the cover also having a lip on the inside thereof which is parallel to the wall thereof; whereby when the cover is placed on the base, the rim of the base is gripped between the lip on the inside of the cover and the wall on the cover to hold the cover in place.
 8. The container of claim 7, further comprising threads on the base thereof directly below the rim and corresponding threads on the inside of the wall of the cover thereof, such that the cover is threaded onto the base to enclose the inside of the base.
 9. The container of claim 7 wherein the base further comprises a lower outer wall of a particular perimeter, and an upper outer wall of a smaller perimeter, whereby a shoulder is formed where the reduction of perimeter is fabricated, whereby when the cover is placed on the base, the wall of the cover will fully enclose the upper outer wall of the base, and the rim of the wall of the cover will rest against the shoulder on the outside of the base. 